VIDEO: ‘Look at the entire knee’ before meniscus allograft transplantation
Key takeaways:
- Meniscus repair may not always be successful.
- Preserve the meniscus whenever possible.
- Consider meniscal allograft transplantation.
WAILEA, Hawaii — At Orthopedics Today Hawaii, Michael J. Stuart, MD, spoke about recommendations and techniques for meniscus allograft transplantation.
“The bottom line is: Preserve the meniscus whenever possible. We now have better repair techniques and good understanding of postoperative protocols. But unfortunately, not all meniscus repairs are successful and not all patients are candidates for meniscus preservation,” Stuart said.
Stuart said for patients who are candidates for meniscus transplant, orthopedic surgeons need to step back and “look at the entire knee.”
“You have to make sure there is no limb malalignment,” he said. “You have to access the subchondral bone and the articular cartilage. You may have to address those issues as well.”
Stuart said that if an orthopedic surgeon chooses to perform a meniscal allograft transplantation, it is critical to size-match the graft, as it has been shown to be an important factor for success.
“In addition, you have to securely fix the anterior and posterior horns. Most of us prefer to use bone plugs to get incorporation of those important attachments and then securely fix the meniscus across the periphery,” Stuart said.
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Stuart MJ. When do I recommend a medical transplant? Presented at: Orthopedics Today Hawaii 2024; Jan. 7-11, 2024; Wailea, Hawaii.
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